We have arrived in Ohio and are in the midst of finding a place to live. I'll get back to regular posting and updates on our adventures once we don't have to steal wireless from Panera Bread anymore.
sorry to change the subject and forgive me if this is the wrong forum, but i wanted to bring up a specific industry. assuming peak oil theories and effects, how can one justify continuing a career in aerospace? on the olduvai end of the spectrum you've got people claiming we'll be the last generation to fly. on the soft landing end of the spectrum can we expect drastically redesigned hydrogen fueled aircraft? will peak oil bring my LACE TBCC HTOL H2 scramjet airline closer to reality?
Submitted by PeakEngineer on Sun, 2008-06-29 22:10.
That's the short answer -- we just don't know how things will unfold. One main reason I stay in aerospace is I enjoy eating -- it's my occupation. I'm learning new skills to compensate if things go south in a hurry, but in the meantime it's a relatively lucrative profession. If the airlines do crash within a year, as some are predicting, many in our field will be forced to find a new line of work shortly.
My wife has a fairly depression-resistant career in teaching, but for now it doesn't bring home as much bacon. That could change quickly, of course, especially if I were to lose my job.
Now if you're talking ethically, that's a whole different kettle of worms. For instance, how can I justify working for an organization (USAF) that is the single greatest user of oil in the world? That is a topic for a much longer discussion... :)
so i guess my read is that you're sort of hedging your bets either way. you're continuing your 40 hr/wk commitment to a mainstream profession that definitely pays off now, while investing your free time in preparation for the less desirable outcome.
as far as usaf is concerned, they're right: nobody comes close. it's got to be a little bit encouraging to see them testing the fischer-tropsch blend. at the very least it's an acknowledgement of the problem.
oh, and worms come in kettles? i've only seen them in those styrofoam cups out of vending machines.
Submitted by PeakEngineer on Fri, 2008-08-22 22:34.
That about covers it: hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. Although I must say, my thoughts on what may be best are constantly changing. There seem to really be some fantastic benefits to growing your own food and being more self-sufficient, aside from the obvious. The psychological and physiological side effects for us as well as our children really carry a lot of weight.
The AF is acknowledging their problem, but understating it by leaps and bounds. I have yet to see evidence that they really "get it" and profess a motive other than "saving a little money on fuel costs".
And Dude, I think that coffee vending machine you used was broken! :)
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sorry to change the subject and forgive me if this is the wrong forum, but i wanted to bring up a specific industry. assuming peak oil theories and effects, how can one justify continuing a career in aerospace? on the olduvai end of the spectrum you've got people claiming we'll be the last generation to fly. on the soft landing end of the spectrum can we expect drastically redesigned hydrogen fueled aircraft? will peak oil bring my LACE TBCC HTOL H2 scramjet airline closer to reality?
Uncertainty
That's the short answer -- we just don't know how things will unfold. One main reason I stay in aerospace is I enjoy eating -- it's my occupation. I'm learning new skills to compensate if things go south in a hurry, but in the meantime it's a relatively lucrative profession. If the airlines do crash within a year, as some are predicting, many in our field will be forced to find a new line of work shortly.
My wife has a fairly depression-resistant career in teaching, but for now it doesn't bring home as much bacon. That could change quickly, of course, especially if I were to lose my job.
Now if you're talking ethically, that's a whole different kettle of worms. For instance, how can I justify working for an organization (USAF) that is the single greatest user of oil in the world? That is a topic for a much longer discussion... :)
so i guess my read is that
so i guess my read is that you're sort of hedging your bets either way. you're continuing your 40 hr/wk commitment to a mainstream profession that definitely pays off now, while investing your free time in preparation for the less desirable outcome.
as far as usaf is concerned, they're right: nobody comes close. it's got to be a little bit encouraging to see them testing the fischer-tropsch blend. at the very least it's an acknowledgement of the problem.
oh, and worms come in kettles? i've only seen them in those styrofoam cups out of vending machines.
Hedging
That about covers it: hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. Although I must say, my thoughts on what may be best are constantly changing. There seem to really be some fantastic benefits to growing your own food and being more self-sufficient, aside from the obvious. The psychological and physiological side effects for us as well as our children really carry a lot of weight.
The AF is acknowledging their problem, but understating it by leaps and bounds. I have yet to see evidence that they really "get it" and profess a motive other than "saving a little money on fuel costs".
And Dude, I think that coffee vending machine you used was broken! :)